13 minute read
Sport
Riding the trails across Mendip
MOUNTAINbike riding along trails is not every cyclist’s cup of tea. Many (including me) prefer the speed and relative safety of the road along good surfaces, allowing longer distances to be travelled. Others are simply happy with the odd commute here and there, or to simply use cycling as a form of exercise.
But if you want to escape from the traffic and get to see some of the best views that only walkers and hikers can reach then you’ll need to go off-road. Mountain bikes are the solution – designed to cope with the tough terrain they are a perfect way to explore and find adventure on a bike ride.
Fortunately, we are lucky that the Mendip Hills are criss-crossed by bridleways and trails perfect for exploring on mountain bikes. Depending on the skill and ability level there is something for everyone, from easy paths like the Strawberry Line to forest trails and technical descents for the very experienced rider.
The best routes are at the west end of the Mendip Hills. I like riding in Rowberrow Forest because the connecting paths are in good shape and the terrain isn’t too tricky for me.
There are more demanding purpose-built trails (e.g. Vicious Valley, Yee Haw) for the more experienced and skilled riders. These are constructed and maintained in a sustainable way by Ride Mendips – a charity that aims to promote off-road biking across the Mendip Hills and surrounding areas.
They also do a fantastic job in promoting a code of conduct for riders and play a pivotal part in managing the relationships with other users of the forest. For example, there are signage boards at the trails which indicate their difficulty and show the recommended routes back to the start – to try and keep other bridleways clear for walkers and horses.
Riding a mountain bike on difficult terrain needs good bike handling skills. In some ways it’s a bit like skiing. The body needs to be loose, responsive and weight needs to be shifted according to the incline. It can feel counterintuitive but holding speed in tricky terrain is necessary to maintain momentum and balance. And, unlike a road bike you don’t stay in your seat all the time!
Like learning any new skill, it takes time and practice to do well. At my age I’m happy to leave the likes of Vicious Valley to those who have successfully mastered the skill required!
On leaving the forest, the open area on Black Down leading to Beacon Batch is a pleasure to ride. At the highest point on the Mendips there are far reaching views extending in all directions.
There are several options from here but a worthwhile one is to head via Charterhouse towards Cheddar and take the bridleway around the top of the Gorge. The resulting view across the Gorge towards the Somerset Levels makes the effort all worthwhile.
The National Trust hold an annual event (Covid permitting) called the Mendip
CYCLING with EDMUND LODITE
Murmuration that includes trails at the top of the Gorge which are not normally open to the public. It also picks up the trails in Rowberrow and Black Down and extends out to Crook Peak.
This is an example of how far off-road cycling in Mendip has come in the last few years. Gone are the days when debates would take place over who caused most erosion – cyclists, horses or walkers. Now all groups work sensibly with each other and manage the landscape in a sustainable way with the Mendip Hills AONB.
I don’t go off-road that often so when I did recently, I decided to upgrade and hire a decent mountain bike from Cheddar Bikes. Several hours later I’d worked hard, experienced some glorious riding and fantastic scenery – so it may not be that long before I am off-road again!
NOVEMBERCROSSWORDSOLUTION
ACROSS: 1. Potts-Jones 6. Asia 9. Grant Associates 10. Excisions 12. Dieselelectric 14. Elevator 15. Geneva 17. Lobate 19. Soy-sauce 21. Nitroglycerine 24. Take sides 25. Intro 26. Nine 27. Unintended. DOWN: 1. Page 2. Teatime 3. Satisfactions 4. Overlook 5. Excel 7. Scourge 11. Secret Service 13. Wellington 16. Moccasin 18. Betoken 20. Unnoted 22. Lydon 23. Lord
Club honours long-standing supporters
FIVE long-term stalwarts of Midsomer Norton Rugby Club have been awarded life memberships in recognition of their decades of support.
Bob Browning, Neil Denning, Bob Ladd, Simon Mollison and Robert Porter have had their names inscribed on the clubhouse honours board.
The ceremony took place during the club’s former players reunion at Norton Down where Neil was also honoured by the Somerset RFU after standing down recently as chairman after 19 years at the helm. He is replaced by Alex Davis.
Norton 1st XV then played Gordano in a close Tribute Western Counties North league game, running out 33-28 winners.
The reunion took place in Norton’s refurbished clubhouse
Norton’s James Fuller (in red and white) takes the game to Gordano
Luke Murphy crosses to score Norton’s opening try Thank you for your hard work. Pictured are (back l:r) Simon Mollison, chairman Alex Davis, club president Nigel Rowles and former chairman Neil Denning. Front: Robert Porter and Bob Browning
Timsbury’s successful season
CAMERTON Village Hall was packed for the annual presentation evening of Timsbury Cricket Club with all three teams well represented.
The evening began with applause for all those associated with the club who had been lost over the last couple of years.
Club chairman, Ben Hosford, who was celebrating his first year at the helm, said he was delighted at the way the club had developed over the last year.
Over 50 members had paid up, the All Stars and Dynamos had attracted loads of children, the new kit had been very popular, new sight screens had been purchased and the coaching sessions led by Lloyd Davies had been very well attended.
He added that coaching master classes with Marcus Trescothick and Richard Dawson had been arranged for next season.
First team captain Jon Strand reviewed a season that had seen the side eventually achieve a creditable third place in the Senior Division of the Bristol and District League.
Will Rawlings gave an excellent speech as captain of the under 19s. He said that Timsbury was a club where young players felt wanted and where they wanted to play.
Laurie Jones, captain of the third eleven, said that his aim had been to make the team more competitive and to encourage younsters. The team had finished fourth in Division 14.
Ben Hosford then turned to his role as second team captain. The team had celebrated another excellent season which had seen them win Division Six and achieve promotion for the fourth successive season.
Junior, Liam Hosford Best individual performance Sol Thompson
Fastest 50 Paul Cracknell Malcolm Tucker
Clubman of the Year Greg Passingham
Outstanding teenager Oli Hulbert and chairman Ben Hosford
Skittles right up their alley for a good night out
THEY call themselves Large and in Charge and the Paulton and District Skittles League has probably seen nothing quite like them for some time, if at all, in its 88-year history.
LAIC is a group of 40+ friends from the Midsomer Norton area who have decided to take up the traditional pub sport and whilst only eight can compete in each match, the rest can usually be found supporting them… even drinking one of their away venues dry!
The team is based at The Riverside in Midsomer Norton and are competing in the lowest division, Division Six, of the league in their first season. The league itself boasts more than 80 teams.
Kitted out in personalised polo shirts, LAIC can certainly be a little lively and post regular photos and videos on Twitter from their matches, already gaining several hundred followers.
Cheering on their players LAIC at home at The Riverside
The evening’s opponents, the Riverside Rollers, also based at the Midsomer Norton pub
Find LaicSkittles1 team on Twitter. For details about the league, visit: www.p-d-s-l.com
Croquet’s successful year
CAMERTONand Peasedown Croquet Club has had an exciting year, despite Covid, welcoming over ten new members, taking part in regional and national competitions, with Colin Britt winning the ‘A’ level series and Andy Loakes gaining second place in the All England Championship.
But the icing on the cake must be Finals Day when players of all skill levels battled it out and games were won/lost by only one point.
The Level Doubles was won by Jill and Craig Shaw by 7 to 6 against Christina Sandford and Robin Oldland. The Handicap Singles was won by Steve Perry 7 to 5, with Steve and Phil Hendy fighting for each hoop.
The Handicap Doubles was another well fought match, which Mo Boys and Tony Brooks won against Andy Loakes and Nigel Wulcko by 7 to 5. The Level Singles pitted the club’s two best players against each other, seeing Andy Loakes winning against Colin Britt by 7 to 6.
The High Handicap Singles pitted Marylin Hendy against Nigel Wulcko and after another momentous battle, Marylin just won by 7 to 6. Association Singles was won by Colin Britt, who won by only one point against John Rowley (15 to 14).
The Short Croquet Final was won by Mo Boys against David Milford 14 to 6. The club plays croquet throughout the year.
Practice weekend is a thriller
AROUND 300 riders enjoyed a weekend of motocross thrills – and some spills – at the Frome Motorcycle Club track at Leighton, near Frome.
Two wheels, three wheels and four were all represented as individual riders, sidecars and quads took to the track. Organisers have thanked Aggregate Industries, the Kelston Sparkes group and JF Pearce and Sons for their help in preparing the track.
The start of one of the practice sessions
One of the quad riders in action A chance to hone their sidecar skills
Sessions were split into different categories – including the not-sospeedy
l Brothers Arthur, aged, 15, and Olly Macdonald, 12, from Hornblotton, are celebrating success in the British Quad Bike Championships, held over ten rounds since February. Olly finished second in the 100cc group and Arthur was third in the 250cc group.
Extreme heat hits desert marathon
THREElocal men have survived the world’s toughest road race, the Marathon Des Sables, running 260km in seven days across the Sahara in Southern Morocco in temperatures above 50ºC, nearly twice the normal average for this time of the year.
Cheddar postman Ian Maclachlan and paramedic Chris Hewett, also from Cheddar, were among the 352 runners who completed the marathon out of a field of nearly 700.
They were yards away when one runner collapsed and died; another three had heart attacks. Organisers normally expect 95 percent of runners to finish.
The oldest runner in the race, accountant David Exell, aged 79, from Wrington was on the point of collapse when he was airlifted out of the desert.
Having completed the marathon four years ago, he said: “Conditions this time were more hellish than hell.”
Ian met Chris while on his post round, which covers Draycott and the centre of Cheddar, and then they discovered they had both entered the Marathon des Sables, which involves covering more than 20 miles a day, carrying provisions with you.
Ian said: “It’s difficult enough without being hit by a heatwave. One temperature gauge stopped working when it hit 62ºC. The whole camp was hit by heat-induced diarrhoea and vomiting.
“My feet were blistered and swollen beyond recognition. At one point I was dehydrated to the point of collapse, when a passing Berber tribesman gave me the last of his water.
“It was quite a beating seeing a man die. I was ready to give up the race, but Chris persuaded me to carry on. By the morning my mental attitude had strengthened and I thought that if it had been me who died I would have wanted the others to carry on.”
Chris, who has competed in ultramarathons before, said: “By chance, I bumped into Ian, our local postman on his rounds. A short conversation about running shoes was followed by a realisation that we had both signed up for a week of torture in the Sahara desert.
“We went for a short run together and it all seemed to gel. It was a match made in heaven – ready for a trip into hell.”
The two men were raising money for Hounds for Heroes, which trains assistance dogs for ex-servicemen and the total had reached £8,000 as Mendip Times went to press.
Chris Hewett (left) and Ian Maclachlan
Details: justgiving.com/fundraising/postiesjourney www.postiesjourney.co.uk
David’s experience
IN 2017 I completed the whole course –albeit rather slowly – and following some miraculous heart re-plumbing three years ago, I was fully confident of notching up another success this time.
We all set off with high hopes, but temperatures soared to almost 60ºC (140F), and, despite my attempts to keep going, I succumbed to the heat, and dehydration. It was truly, as Ranulph Fiennes described it, “more hellish than hell”, and I collapsed.
After vomiting copiously over a French doctor, I was whisked away with five other miscreants in a helicopter from which I had a bird’s eye view of other competitors staggering along, but was then mercifully discharged medically and disqualified mortifyingly.
It was no consolation to find that by the end one 50-year-old man had died, and a record 321 competitors had withdrawn out of 672 who had started, owing to the unprecedented conditions.
There is one huge redeeming feature which sustains me, however. It is the extraordinary willingness of so many people to sponsor me, so very generously, in my mad endeavour, and contribute to the charity, Bristol After Stroke, of which I am treasurer, so that I feel the whole thing has been worthwhile.
